Partnership Over Pressure: Building Trust During Test Prep with Athena Savino

In this unique episode, I interview Athena Savino, CEO of Top Marks Prep and longtime tutor, who has witnessed countless mother-daughter dynamics play out during the high stress world of standardized test preparation. Athena shares how well intentioned moms often become taskmasters—constantly asking about study hours and scores—which strains relationships and increases test anxiety rather than improving performance. She introduces the partnership model: sitting down with your daughter before prep even begins to set shared goals, co-create study plans, and establish buy in so she feels ownership over the process. We discuss how test anxiety is the number one thing hurting scores (not lack of knowledge), why validation and motivation matter more than teaching fractions, and how parents should react when scores come back, letting daughters respond first and celebrating effort over outcomes. This conversation reveals how the test prep journey offers lessons beyond the score: trust building, emotional regulation, and the powerful message that your daughter's worth isn't measured by a number. Whether facing SAT, ACT, or entrance exams, this episode shows mothers how to stay partners instead of becoming overseers.

With this episode you'll be able to:

1. Shift from taskmaster to partner by co-creating study plans and setting shared goals with your daughter before test prep begins
2. Recognize that test anxiety, not lack of knowledge, is the number one factor hurting scores and learn how emotional support reduces it
3. Provide validation and motivation throughout the journey rather than micromanaging study hours or teaching content
4. React appropriately when scores arrive by letting your daughter respond first and celebrating effort regardless of the number
5. Use car conversations and journaling to check in emotionally without creating pressure or awkward face-to-face confrontations
6. Build trust by separating your daughter's identity from test performance and highlighting areas where she excels beyond academics

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother-daughter relationships for me to answer in upcoming episodes! Connect with Athena Savino on LinkedIn or at athena@topmarksprep.com for test prep support.

Connect with Brittney:

1. Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
2. Website: www.brittneymscott.com
3. Consultation to work with Brittney

Announcing Raising Teens Differently: A New Group Coaching Program for Mothers of Teen Daughters

In this announcement episode, I'm introducing my first group coaching offering for 2026, "Raising Teens Differently," designed specifically for mothers navigating the push-pull dynamics of raising teenage daughters. If you're watching your daughter seek independence while struggling to keep connection strong, this 8-week closed group starting in February 2026 is for you. I break down why teenagers pull away (identity formation, brain development, social media pressure, school stress) while still desperately wanting connection beneath the eye rolls and attitude. This group will teach you how to maintain trust and communication during adolescence, set healthy boundaries while respecting her growing autonomy, pick your battles wisely, find common interests that strengthen your bond, and take care of yourself so you can fully show up for her emotional needs. You'll join a community of mothers in the same stage who understand the unique pressures of raising teens today, from COVID's social impact to social media's influence, creating the kind of support that feels like a hug when you need it most.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand why your teenage daughter pulls away while still craving connection, acceptance, and unconditional love from you
• Recognize the developmental reasons behind teenage behavior including brain development, identity formation, and independence-seeking
• Learn what the Raising Teens Differently group will cover: maintaining connection, building trust, managing independence battles, and self-care strategies
• Discover the power of community healing with other moms in the same stage who understand today's unique parenting challenges
• Get program details: 8-week closed group starting February 2026, weekly meetings, capped enrollment for intimate support
• Access the interest form through the show notes link to secure your spot before the group fills

Learn more about Raising Teens Differently, and fill out the interest form. Don't wait, enrollment is capped to ensure every member feels heard and supported!

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Raising teenagers, teenage daughters, mother-daughter relationship, teen independence, parenting teens, maintaining connection with teens, group coaching, adolescent development, teen brain development, social media impact on teens, navigating conflict with teens, building trust with teenagers, mother-daughter groups, parenting support groups, teen rebellion

From Strong to Well: Unlearning the Strong Black Woman Narrative with Dr. Cecily Moore

In this episode, Dr. Cecily Moore, a licensed therapist, researcher, and self-proclaimed "recovering strong black woman,"shares her dissertation research on unlearning the Strong Black Woman narrative. After experiencing postpartum depression and realizing her mother and grandmother couldn't give what they didn't have, she discovered this trauma-rooted narrative passes through maternal lineages, teaching daughters strength without support and creating cycles of silent suffering. Dr. Moore breaks down the unlearning journey, introduces the shift from "strong" to "well-resourced" Black woman, and explains "seed planting," sharing your healing without forcing family to change. We discuss why this narrative starts in girlhood, creating homes demanding strength everywhere with softness nowhere, and explore practical ways to have vulnerable conversations with friends while protecting your peace.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand how the Strong Black Woman narrative originated in slavery and gets passed down as generational trauma through maternal lineages
• Recognize the unlearning process: catalyst moments, letting go of indoctrination, self-discovery, self-investment, and boundary setting
• Shift from "strong black woman" to "well-resourced black woman" by investing in accessible healing like reading and community support
• Practice "seed planting" with family members, sharing your healing journey without taking responsibility for their outcomes or forcing change
• Navigate the hardest places to unlearn (familial/intimate relationships and work) by prioritizing self-awareness and safety
• Have vulnerable conversations with friends by asking for consent, checking capacity, and being the support you want to receive

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother-daughter relationships for me to answer in future episodes! Connect with Dr. Cecily Moore at drcecilymooore.com for free reading resources and newsletter updates.

Mentioned resources:

• Dr. Cecily Moore's website: drcecilymooore.com (free reading resources and newsletter)
• Books by Audre Lorde and other Black authors on the Strong Black Woman narrative
• Dr. Moore's dissertation research on Black women unlearning the Strong Black Woman narrative

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Strong Black Woman narrative, generational trauma, Black maternal mental health, postpartum depression, unlearning strength narratives, well-resourced Black women, seed planting healing, mother wound in Black families, asking for help,...

How Your Mother Wound Shows Up in Your Romantic Relationships

Do you keep attracting the same type of partner? Find yourself doing all the emotional work in relationships? Struggle with trust, intimacy, or constantly choosing people who can't meet your needs? Your mother wound might be running the show in your love life. Your relationship with your mother is your first relationship template, it's where you learned what love looks like, what connection feels like, and what you can expect from people who are supposed to care about you. Whether you're single and keep repeating painful patterns, or already in a relationship and realizing how your mother wound has shaped your dynamic, this episode will give you the awareness and tools you need to create the love you actually deserve.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand how your relationship with your mother became your first relationship template
• Identify specific ways your mother wound influences who you choose as a romantic partner
• Recognize how childhood patterns create your attachment style and relationship behaviors
• Learn why "chemistry" might actually be trauma recognition, not healthy attraction
• Discover the seven practical steps to break painful relationship cycles
• Understand what healthy love actually looks like and feels like
• Assess whether your current relationship can heal and grow or needs to end
• Practice asking for what you need and creating new patterns with a willing partner

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother wounds for me to answer in future episodes!

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Mentioned resources:

• The Mother-Daughter Relationship Show podcast
• Mother wound healing therapy and coaching
• Inner child work resources
• Attachment style therapy and support

Help me reach more daughters healing their mother wounds by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

mother wound, romantic relationships, dating patterns, attachment styles, mother daughter relationship, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, partner selection, emotional unavailability, parentification, relationship patterns, childhood trauma, generational trauma, healing mother wound, healthy relationships, setting boundaries, inner child work, therapy, relationship coaching, Brittney Scott, mother daughter podcast, breaking cycles

Surviving the Holidays: Navigating Family Gatherings While Healing Your Mother Wound

In this episode, I address the knot in your stomach that appears every holiday season when you're in the middle of healing your mother wound. Family gatherings can feel like emotional minefields, filled with triggering comments, guilt trips, old dynamics that resurface, and the pressure to perform happiness while suppressing your authentic feelings. I walk you through the first decision: whether to attend at all, and give you permission to say no without explanation. If you do attend, I provide a comprehensive preparation plan including setting realistic expectations, planning responses ahead of time (and practicing them out loud), deciding on boundaries before you arrive, and always having an exit strategy. I share five specific boundary types with scripts for common holiday scenarios, from the Gray Rock Method to the Broken Record technique. This episode also covers what to do when things go sideways, how to handle family guilt and self-guilt, alternative celebration ideas like Friendsgiving or volunteer work, and the crucial importance of post gathering self-care. I close with cultural considerations, acknowledging that opting out may not work for everyone but boundaries can be adapted to honor your values while protecting your peace.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Decide whether attending family gatherings supports or hinders your healing journey using clear evaluation criteria
• Prepare strategically for family events with realistic expectations, planned responses, pre-set boundaries, and exit strategies
• Use five specific boundary types including topic redirects, the Gray Rock Method, physical removal, time limits, and the Broken Record technique
• Navigate common triggering situations with ready-to-use scripts for criticism, guilt trips, forced reconciliation, and victim playing
• Recognize family guilt as manipulation tactics and release self-guilt that tells you protecting your mental health is selfish
• Create alternative holiday traditions like Friendsgiving, volunteering, or quiet celebrations that honor your healing journey

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother-daughter relationships for me to answer in future episodes!

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Holiday boundaries, family gatherings, mother wound healing, holiday survival guide, toxic family dynamics, Gray Rock Method, holiday guilt, setting boundaries during holidays, Friendsgiving alternatives, family dysfunction, emotional protection, holiday triggers, choosing peace, breaking cycles, cultural boundaries during holidays

The Six Stages of Mother-Daughter Relationships: How to Navigate Each Transition

The 6 Stages of Mother-Daughter Relationships: A Guide to Healing and Growth Blog

In this episode, I break down the six stages that every mother-daughter relationship goes through and why understanding these stages is essential for maintaining connection and avoiding breakdown. From birth through adolescence, young adulthood, marriage and motherhood, midlife, and finally caring for an aging mother, each stage requires mothers to show up differently and daughters to have different needs met. I introduce the powerful rubber band metaphor for the teenage years, where mothers must remain stationary and present while allowing their daughters to stretch toward independence, knowing the rubber band will snap them back when they need support. The young adult stage emerges as the most common time for relationship breakdowns, when mothers struggle to shift from rule-setter to collaborative advisor walking alongside their daughters. This episode explores how boundaries must be redrawn in each stage, why conflict during adolescence isn't inherently bad, and includes a powerful journaling prompt to help you identify which stage your mother wound occurred in so you can target your healing work effectively.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand the six distinct stages of mother-daughter relationships and what each one requires for success
• Use the rubber band metaphor to navigate your daughter's teenage years without creating emotional distance or losing trust
• Recognize when it's time to shift from guiding parent to collaborative advisor in your daughter's young adult life
• Identify which stage your mother-daughter relationship breakdown occurred and what you needed that you didn't receive
• See how forcing a relationship to stay the same across stages damages connection and prevents deeper friendship from forming
• Learn why the young adult stage is often when daughters finally recognize their relationship isn't healthy or safe

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother-daughter relationships for me to answer in future episodes! The link is in the show notes.

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Mother-daughter stages, relationship evolution, teenage daughters, rubber band metaphor, parenting teenagers, young adult relationships, mother-daughter boundaries, life transitions, parenting stages, adolescent development, collaborative parenting, inner child healing, relationship breakdown, generational patterns, mother-daughter friendship

Accepting the Mother You Got: The Hardest Part of Healing

In this episode, I walk you through one of the most difficult yet essential steps in healing a mother wound, accepting the mother you actually received instead of continuing to long for the mother you wanted. We all carry an image of what a mother should be, how she should show up, and the ways she should love us. When our actual mothers fall short of these expectations, the gap between what we wanted and what we got creates a wound that follows us into adulthood. I guide you through a journaling exercise that helps you process this disappointment: writing out your expectations of motherhood, documenting the reality of the mother you received, and speaking to your inner child who still desperately wants what she didn't get. This episode explores why children struggle to see their parents as flawed and instead blame themselves, how that little girl inside you is still healing alongside adult you, and why acceptance doesn't mean making excuses for her behavior, it means seeing her clearly so you can finally move forward with your own life.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand why accepting the mother you received is the foundation of healing, not making excuses for her behavior
• Complete a three-part journaling exercise to process the gap between your expectations and reality
• Recognize that your inner child is still seeking the mother she wanted and needs your compassion to heal
• Learn why children blame themselves instead of seeing their parents as flawed and how this pattern continues into adulthood
• See your mother as a whole person with limitations rather than keeping her on a pedestal you have to constantly defend or attack
• Discover how acceptance makes boundary-setting easier and frees you to live your life without waiting for her to change

Don't forget you can submit your questions for me to answer in future episodes!

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Mother wound healing, accepting your mother, inner child work, mother-daughter expectations, healing disappointment, journaling prompts, emotional healing, childhood wounds, mother-daughter relationship, letting go of expectations, seeing parents clearly, boundary setting, generational healing, self-blame patterns, mother wound acceptance

Cultural Context Matters: Setting Boundaries Without Losing Your Community

In this episode, I respond to a social media post about how North American therapists often push boundary-setting without understanding the cultural consequences for children of immigrants and those from collectivist cultures. While setting boundaries is crucial for healthy relationships, the Western approach of individualism doesn't always translate to cultures where family connection and community are central to survival and identity. I break down the critical difference between setting boundaries and estrangement, offering practical examples of how you can protect your mental health and get your needs met without completely cutting off your family or losing your entire support system. From getting a hotel during the holidays to setting time limits on phone calls, I share flexible boundary strategies that honor both your wellbeing and your cultural values. This episode is essential listening for anyone navigating the tension between therapeutic advice and cultural expectations, and for therapists who want to provide more culturally competent care.

With this episode you'll be able to:

• Understand the difference between individualistic and collectivist cultures and how this impacts boundary-setting approaches
• Recognize that boundaries exist on a spectrum, from small limits to estrangement, and you don't have to jump to the extreme
• Learn practical boundary examples that keep you safe while maintaining family connections (hotel stays during visits, time limits on calls, etc.)
• Reframe boundaries as "what needs to be in place for me to say yes" rather than walls that keep people out
• Discover the importance of working with culturally competent therapists who understand your specific cultural context
• See how you can create healthier patterns for the next generation even if you can't change your current family dynamics

Don't forget you can submit your questions about mother-daughter relationships for me to answer in upcoming episodes!

Connect with Brittney:

• Instagram: @theBrittneyScott
• Website: www.brittneymscott.com
• Consultation to work with Brittney
• Free Resources

Help me reach more mothers and daughters by following the show & leaving a rating or review on Apple & Spotify!

Keyword tags:

Boundaries, cultural competency, immigrant families, collectivist culture, individualistic culture, estrangement alternatives, healthy boundaries, mother-daughter boundaries, cultural context in therapy, setting limits, family dynamics, generational healing, culturally sensitive therapy, boundary spectrum, holiday boundaries